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The Engadget Global Score is a unique ranking of products based on extensive independent research and analysis by our expert editorial and research teams. The Global Score is arrived at only after curating hundreds, sometimes thousands of weighted data points (such as critic and user reviews).

An affordable smartphone, done right

Forgiving the absence of a microSD slot and LTE radio, we commend the Moto G for its bright display, superb all-around performance and versatile camera despite a low megapixel count. At this price, it's a bargain.

Forgiving the absence of a microSD slot and LTE radio, we commend the Moto G for its bright display, superb all-around performance and versatile camera despite a low megapixel count. At this price, it's a bargain.

The Moto G is remarkable device. It's arguably the less talented sibling of the flash-bang Moto X released by the Google-owned smartphone maker earlier this year, but it's more noteworthy because it offers so much at such a stunning price point.

The Moto G could really shake the low end of the market up ... If you know someone who's still using a flip phone or a hoary old BlackBerry or something, the Moto G is a solid low-cost option that you can recommend to them without hesitation.

It has commendable performance, a comfortable design, and a clean and intuitive user interface. Factor in its great battery life and excellent display, and you've got a device that redefines just how good a budget phone can be.

The Moto G's best asset is its price - it is an affordable smartphone and we think it delivers everything it promises - except perhaps the battery life. At no point did we feel like we had compromised on style, quality or experience ...

Motorola's Moto G is the best budget smartphone around. At £135 it's got great build quality, an excellent screen, decent cameras and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean soon to be upgrade to 4.4 KitKat. It's only limited in the storage department and a lack of 4G support.

Compared to competing smartphones priced under £250 from Samsung, Nokia, HTC and a variety of Chinese phone manufacturers, the Motorola completely blows them away with the Moto G. It is a better all round phone than most smartphones costing twice as much, let alone priced at £135.

For a midrange phone, the Moto G is well-worth its measly price tag. And even if Motorola's venture into emerging markets will end up being a bit of a battle for the struggling company, its handset ought to set the precedent for what midrange phones should look, feel, and act like.

The Motorola Moto G is one of the best phones of the year, and the first time we’ve seen a phone of this calibre launch at under £200 SIM-free. That it’s so much cheaper than £200 is a minor miracle. This phone deserves to sell by the bucketload.

Yes, compromises have been made to get the Moto G down to $179.99, and I’d like to see a manufacturer put a half-decent camera on a cheap phone. But this phone truly redefines what a low-end smartphone can be, and is the best attempt yet to turn “the next billion” into smartphone users.

The Moto G hits hard for a handset of this price. It has a great screen and a responsive interface; you'd almost forget it's a budget phone. The camera and storage are always there to remind you of its caste, but otherwise it's a rare feat for an entry-level smartphone.

The Moto G is the bargain of the year. It refuses to look, act or feel like a cheap phone, and out-performs more expensive phones. The only letdown is its small amount of internal memory, and basic camera.

First Looks

Considering this is Motorola's first international device since Google swallowed it, the Moto G is more about taking on the budget market. It's made an aggressive play that shows low-price doesn't have to mean low-spec.

It’s relatively thick compared to premium smartphones like the Moto X or the Nexus 5, but that’s to be expected considering the screen it’s packing and the price ... Performance on the Moto G really is quite impressive for a phone that costs less than $200.

Given the lack of LTE support, I think the Moto G is pretty clearly geared more towards emerging markets than it is the United States. But for $179 for the 8GB, contract-free, SIM unlocked version (and just $20 more for 16GB), it is worth a look for anyone interested in a low-cost device.

There's been a small price increase, but as long as the 4G radio doesn't have a negative impact on processor performance or battery life, the Moto G will keep its crown as the best value mobile money can buy.

But going further, to look and feel of the Moto G reminds us of Google's home grown Nexus phones. The low price combined with specs that impress and a recent version of Android that's almost entirely untouched by Motorola, makes the Moto G feel like a Nexus by stealth.

Weighing it at 143g, it's also feels fairly heavy ... It's not as if it feels cheap to hold though. There's no flimsy plastic or flex here, although the matte texture on the rear doesn't feel as silky smooth as the cladding on the Nexus 5.

It's not particularly thin or light – 11.6mm and 143g – but feels nice in the hand with its rounded soft touch rear cover ... Colours are punchy and the viewing angles are great ... A quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor coupled with 1GB of RAM produces nippy performance.

Overall, it’s hard not to be impressed by what Motorola has achieved with the Moto G, even at this early stage. The phone may be plastic, but it’s reassuringly solid, and the display is a step above what we’d expect to see from a mid-range handset.

At first glance, the Motorola Moto G certainly looks like a good buy for people that haven't got hundreds of pounds to spend but still want a decent phone that will enable them to do most thing that you can do on the flaghship handsets.

Though it is priced slightly higher than the average Asha or Firefox phone (most can be had for under $100), the Moto G's performance is so much better and the Android ecosystem so much stronger than Asha or Firefox that it makes quite a compelling option to first time smartphone buyers.

Based on our first few hours with the Moto G, we're impressed with how much phone you get for your money. If you're on a budget, we can't see there being any reason to opt for a low resolution, underpowered handset when this is an option.

Look, power users in the United States probably won’t buy the Moto G, though we still think it would make an extra on-hand smartphone should you lose yours, or as a great alternative for an unlocked phone to bring with you when you travel.

Excellent phone. Smooth as a baby's bottom. I was using a Nexus 5 for a few days and believe me, you - this phone holds very well in 90% of the operations the Nexus 5 can. Multi-tasking is very good, web browsing in relatively heavy sites did not feel sluggish at all. Page loads were...

So I had a Galaxy S3 - mitigating circumstances forced me to get a new phone, despite my lack of interest in doing so. For the price, this phone is fantastic. It does about 90% of what your average user utilizes in a top tier smartphone. Put another way, it feels like the best $200 off contract...

Love my Moto G I bought from Republic wireless. It's my first smart phone! Republic price plans blow all other cell provider's away with their CHEAP plans! Chech them out at republicwireless.com! Get a free $20 credit with them, just use this link when you sign up! http://rwshar.es/2ayJ

IT IS AMAZING". I would rate it the best under 30K. It is comparable to some of the high end phones we have in the market. If your budget is 25-30 K, go spend that additional 11K on a decent camera as that is the only thing not so good about Moto G. Things you will like: - Nexus like experience...

The Moto G is hands down the best budget smartphone. The specs compete with plenty of more expensive phones, and it doesn't seem cheap when I'm using it. However, there are some features missing like Android beam(NFC) omitted probably to cut the cost of this phone to sub-$200 off contract.

This is not a "global" phone. Here is a chat with Motorola I just added to the Discussion tab on this phone: Status: Disconnected Jingky: Hi, my name is Jingky. How may I help you? Elizabeth James: does the Moto GP, to which I just bought, Elizabeth James: I just bought 2 moto g. Is there a...